Articulated connection.



W. A; BLACKBURN.

ARTICULATED CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15. I916.

1,220,595. Patented Mar. 2?, 1917.

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W. A. BLACKBURN.

ARTICULATED CONNECTION. APPLICATI-ON FILED NOV. 15. I916.

Patented Mar. 27, 191?.

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BY I

\ A TTOR/VEV WILLIAM A. BLACKBURN, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ARTICULATED CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2'7, 1917.

Application filed. November 15, 1916. Serial No. 131,373.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM A. BLACK- BURN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Detroit, Vayne county, State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Articulated Connections,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to articulated connections, and particularlycasings or closures therefor. I

()ne of the objects of this invention is to provide a connection, of theclass described, with means for inclosing and protecting the variousmovable parts in all their relative positions.

Another object is to provide an improved closure or casing, of the classdescribed, which may be assembled and disassembled without disturbanceof the operative relation of the articulated connections and theircooperating parts.

Where it is found necessary to provide a universal joint with flexible,extensible, or yielding connections, such as between the steering-geararm and knuckle of road vehicles, considerable difliculty is experiencedin properly protecting the parts in a simple and effective mannerwithout restricting the normally free action of the various parts.

Therefore, another of the objects of this invention is to overcome theobjections stated and to provide an effective and comparativelyinexpensive closure or cover for joints of the class described, whichmay be easily assembled and disassembled without in any mannerdisturbing the relation of any other parts or members.

In the preferred embodiment, the invention comprises a tubular casingmember having an opening relatively movable member, with a two-partcover or plate which maintains a closure for the opening in all relativepositions.

These and other objects will appear from the following description,taken in connection with the drawings which form a part of thisspecification, and in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the front end of a roadvehicle embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary lower view (with portions broken away) of thefront end of the steering drag-link illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a-longitudinal vertical section along substantially the line33, Fig. 2;

for receiving another of lubricant from the Y the members 21 F ig. 4 isa transverse vertical section along substantially the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6, respectively, are perspective views of the cover plates;

Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive, are views, similar to Figs. 2 to 6,respectively, of a modified form of the invention.

Referring particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates the front end of avehicle frame side member suitably mounted on a spring 11 and a. frontaxle 12. A steering knuckle 13 may be vertically trunnioned to the frontaxle yoke 14, and have the usual supporting wheel 15 suitably mountedthereon. The usual cross-rod 16 may be linked, as at 17, to a,forwardly-extending arm 18 of the knuckle 13. The steering arm 19, whichis mounted on the frame member 10 and adapted to be actuated by theusual steering wheel (not shown), is connected to another arm 20, formedon or secured to the steering knuckle 13, through articulated andextensible joints hereinafter described as ar ranged in the enlargedtubular forward and rearward ends or casing portions 21 of a connectingtube or drag-link 22. A plate 23 may be inserted in the. tubular end 21through the opening 2-1 and finally abutting against the shoulder 25. Aspring 26. and socket member 27 may be similarly introduced in thecasing 21 adjacent the plate 25. It will be noted that the vided with alateral opening or keyhole slot 28. The enlarged portion of this slot isof sufficient size to permit the introduction of the ball portion 29 ofthe member 30 into the casing 21, against the socket piece 27. Theseparts may then be maintained in operative relation by threading anothersocket piece 31 in the end opening 24 of the casing 21. A packing gasket32 may be arranged between the neck of the member 30 and the Socketmember for preventing the leakage casing at this point. It will beunderstood that the front and rear ends of the drag-link 22 are ofsimilar form and construction; and it will be noted that with thisconstruction the member 30 may have a. relative universal movement withthe end portions 21 of the drag-link 22 and also a relative movement lon'tudinally therewith.

To maintain a closure for the slot 28 of the casing 21 and to preventthe entrance of dust and dirt therein, in all relative positions of and30, I have provided a casing- 21 is pro-' closure which will now beparticularly described. A normally resilient plate 33 ofsemi-cylindrical form, and which may be a metallic stamping, having acircumferentially-extending slot 34, is adapted to be sprung intoposition on the member 21, the end portion 35 of the slot being adaptedto closely fit about the neck portion of the member 30. Another plate36, having an oppositely-extending slotted portion 34:, is adapted to besprung into position over the plate 33, the end portion 35 of the slotin plate 36 closely fitting about the opposite side of the neck portionof the member 30. It will be noted that the plate 33 may be providedwith means, in the form of lugs 37, for preventing relative rotationalmovement between the plates. One of the plates, such as 36, may beprovided with a circumferential depression or offset portion 38, theside walls of which are adapted to fit in the slotted portion at of theplate 33, for preventing relative longitudinal movements between theseplates.

With this construction, it will be understood that these plates may besprung into position without disturbing the articulated jointconnection, or members 30 with the steering arm 19 and the knuckle arm20, respectively. With this construction, at least one pair of plates 33and 36, respectively, are caused to rotate with any relative rotationalmovement between the member 30 and the casing member 21, and .to slidelongitudinally of the latter with any relative longitudinal movements.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 7 to 11, respectively, it will benoted that instead of forming the slots in the plates 33 and 36circumferentially, similar slots are arranged longitudinally thereof,and instead of forming lugs 37 at the edges of the plates, lugs 37 arestruck up at intermediate portions of the plate 33, and the plate 36 isprovided with complementary openings 37 While I have described what Ideem to be preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understoodthat various modifications and changes may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope hereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. The combination, with a casing member and another member having aneck portion adapted to enter the first member for relative movementtherewith, of a plate having a slotted portion about said neck portion,and another plate adapted to be secured to said first plate, for closingsaid slot.

2. The combination, with a casing member and another member having aneck portion adapted to enter the first member for relative movementtherewith, of a plate havthe connection of the having an openmg therein,

' a pair and another plate adapted to be secured to said first plate,for closing said slot.

4.. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an openingtherein, of another member having a portion extending through saidopening, said members being adapted for relative movements, a plateconforming to said tubular member and having a slotted portion aboutsaid portion of said second member, and means, comprising another plate,detachably secured in position over said slot.

5. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an openingtherein, and another memberhaving a portion extending through saidopening, of a two-part cover plate exteriorly of and conforming to saidtubular member and closing said opening.

6. The combination, with a tubular casing member having a lateralopening therein, and another member extending through said opening andadapted to move relatively to said first member, of a pair ofcomplementary slotted members exteriorly of and conforming to saidtubular member and having portions surrounding the projecting portion ofsaid first member.

7 The combination, with a tubular casing member having a lateral openingtherein, and another member extending through a said opening and adaptedto move relatively to said first member, of a pair of complementaryslotted members, said complementary members being sprung into positionon said tubular member, for maintaining a closure for said opening.

8. The combination, with one member and another member extending throughsaid opening,

adapted for relative movement therewith, of

of superposed plates conforming to said first member and adapted to sealsaid opening in all relative positions of the said members.

9. The combination, with a pair of cooperating members havingconnections for relative universal movements, of a pair of superposedcomplementary plates conforming to one of said members, for sealing theinterior of the latter in all relative positions of the members.

10. The combination, with a tubular casopening ing member having anopening therein, and another member extending through said opening andhaving universal connection in the interior of said first member, of aplate conforming to said first member and having a slotted portionfitting closely about the exteriorly-extendin'g portion of said secondmember, and another plate detachably arranged over the slotted portionof said first plate.

11. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an openingtherein, and another member extending ,through said opening and havinguniversal connection in.

the interior of said first member, of a plate conforming to said firstmember and having a slot formed therein extending from one of its edgesto an intermediate point therein, and a superposed plate having acomplementary slot, said slotted portions of said plates being adaptedto closely fit about the extending portions of said second member andsaid plates being adapted to close the opening of said first member.

12. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an openingtherein, and another member extending through said and having connectionfor relative unlversal movement with said first member, of a cover forsaid opening, comprising a cylindrical slotted plate conforming to saidfirst member, and a superposed plate having an oppositely-formed slottedportion and a circumferential depression formed therein, said depressionbeing adaptedto fit within the slotted portion of said first plate.

13. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an openingtherein, and another member extending through said opening and havingconnection for relative universal movement with said first member, of acover for said opening, comprising a cylindrical slotted plateconforming to said first member, and a superposed plate having anoppositely-formed slotted portion and a circumferential depressionformed therein, said depression being adapted to fit within the slottedportion of said first plate, said first plate having lugs arrangedthereon for preventing relative rotation between said plates.

14. The combination, with a tubular casing member having an openingtherein, and another member extending through said opening and havingconnection for relative universal movement with said first member, of acover for said opening, comprising a cylindrical slotted first member,and a superposed plate having an oppositely-formed slotted portion and acircumferential depression formed therein, said depression being adaptedto fit within the slotted portion of said first plate, one of saidplates being provided with means for preventing relative rotationalmovements bet een said plates.

15. The combination, with a tubular casing member having a lateralopening therein, of another member extending through said opening andhaving connection interiorly thereof for relative universal movement,and a cover for said opening comprising a pair of resilient superposedplates conforming to said first member.

16. The combination, with a tubular casing member having a lateralopening thereplate conforming to said in, of another member extendingthrough said opening and having connection interiorly thereof forrelative universal movement, and a cover for said opening comprising apair of resilient superposed plates conforming to said first member andhaving oppositely-disposed slotted portions.

17. The combination, with a tubular casing member having a lateralopening therein of another member extending through said opening andhaving connection interiorly thereof for relative universal movement,and a cover for said opening comprising a pair of resilient superposedplates conforming to said first member and having oppositely disposedslotted portions, one of said plates having an offset portion fittingwithin the slotted portion of said other plate.

' In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

